Redemption
by Lily Greengrass
Summary: Uthgerd the Unbroken fails to join the companions after accidentally killing the "whelp" of a boy she fights as part of an entrance test. Determined, Uthgerd attempts to destroy the Dark Brotherhood to impress the companions. In a twist of fate, Uthgerd ends up joining the Brotherhood with the hope of destroying it from the inside out.
1. Prologue

Author's Note:When I originally conceived this idea, I intended for it to be a crossover between Skyrim and Dragon Age but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Uthgerd's story works better as a pure Skyrim fic. So I'm sorry to those of you who were excited about this being a crossover though I don't think there were many and, frankly, as I began writing this a year ago and then abandoned it for 9 months, I'm not sure anyone will really remember the original anyway. I'm really excited about where this is going though and I hope some of you guys will be too. Without further ado, here's the story.

Prologue

Uthgerd the Unbroken knew that she had the required qualities to become one of Skyrim's greatest warriors and it was her knowledge of that undeniable fact that made the companions' rejection of her sting all the more keenly. It had been three days since that scantily clad woman with dark red hair and wild face paint had informed her, on behalf of the organization's leader, that there was no way that the companions could possibly recruit her, not after what she had done. As if Uthgerd had meant to kill the whelp of a boy! He had been unworthy of the title companion and of the race Nord. Uthgerd slammed her tankard down with a clang, attracting the attention of a few late night revelers in the process though their attention seemed not to phase her, so lost was she in her frustration. She had been sitting in the corner of the Bannered Mare in Whiterun for five hours now, drinking herself into a furious stupor. Her whole life she had dreamt of becoming a member of the hallowed companions and now, because she had proven to be stronger than one of the current members, she was denied admission? Didn't the companions value strength above all else? She had simply wanted to share the extent of her skills and that extent had apparently far surpassed anything that the pathetic boy had had to offer.

The Bannered Mare was unusually quiet that evening. Uthgerd realized amidst the low, murmuring hum that buzzed through the tavern that a tall young man was standing a few feet from where Uthgerd was drinking her sorrows away, gazing at her as if he expected some type of response from her. He had a curious air about him that she disliked at once. "What do you want?" she demanded, making a valiant effort to stare a hole through her unwanted visitor.

Uthgerd's effort was not lost on the young man as his voice quivered slightly as he made his reply, "H…have you heard the rumors about Windhelm, ma'am?"

Uthgerd rolled her eyes. There were always rumors about Windhelm-there had been since Ulfric Stormcloak had murdered the high king nearly three months prior. His actions had resulted in Skyrim's descent into absolute chaos, a chaos that Uthgerd had more or less chosen to ignore. She had enjoyed the idea of becoming a companion far more than she relished the notion of joining either side of the petty civil war now plaguing Skyrim. She didn't deign to respond to the boy's question, hoping he would take the hint and depart. Unfortunately for Uthgerd, however, her desire was lost on him.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Its just that…well, I've noticed you in here before and you struck me as the warrior type-"

Uthgerd's patience-short before-had reached its limit, "I am a warrior. It would be odd if I weren't 'the warrior type,' don't you think? What do you want? Either get to your point or leave me in peace."

The boy gulped. "It's about…well it's about the Dark Brotherhood, ma'am. You see, there's an orphan boy in Windhelm. He was living in that orphanage in Riften but apparently the head mistress treats the children so badly that he ran away and used his own mother's body for…." he trailed off momentarily before finding the strength to carry on in a lower, more broken tone, "that _nasty_ ritual some people say you can use to summon those bastards. Can you even imagine a kid doing that? How bad must that orphanage be for him to look to those monsters for his salvation?"

Against her will, Uthgerd's interest was sparked at last. "What's any of this got to do with me being the warrior type?" she asked gruffly.

"The companions have been hunting the Dark Brotherhood for years with no results. I always hoped that somebody else might be interested in going after them-putting them down once and for all. I know that the companions would want to if they thought it could be possible. I just…I just wish they were trying harder, that's all. But this could be an opportunity for someone like you! A strong warrior such as yourself could question that kid in Windhelm about the Brotherhood's movements, figure out what he knows and then….and then-"

"And then what?" Uthgerd retorted, yet again bringing the boy's rambles to an abrupt end. "Hunt them down one by one and kill them all myself? Succeed where the companions have failed?" The boy fell silent, a look of pure misery etched upon his features. The misery was so present and profound that it affected Uthgerd, confused her, but as she didn't know what to make of it, she didn't mention it. She softened her tone somewhat, but pressed on, "Why do you think that boy would tell me anything? Who are you anyway? Why do you care about the Dark Brotherhood? You'd be better served avoiding them."

For the first time in the conversation, the boy made eye contact with Uthgerd. The hand he ran through this thick blonde hair revealed that he was still nervous, but he appeared determined now to make Uthgerd understand him, "My name is Sven, I'm a simple bard by trade" the young man said quietly, "And the Dark Brotherhood killed my wife, Camilla, in Riverwood a month ago. I can't afford to hire the companions and I'm not sure they would pursue the Brotherhood again anyway. You're my only hope."

It was the plainest statement he had made thus far and yet it said more than all of his ramblings ever could have. He was clearly ravaged, driven half mad even, by grief. His words surprised Uthgerd by cutting her to her core. She felt suddenly a sincere longing to at least attempt to assist this Sven in his suffering. No one deserved to lose their beloved to those assassin rats. Love in Skyrim was rare, earnest, and beautiful. Uthgerd could only imagine the bard's pain. Simultaneously, of course, she could not help but also see an opportunity for herself. Her life was empty; she was a mere sell sword with no particular future ahead of her. What then did she have to lose by attempting to track down the Brotherhood? Such an action might even provide her with purpose. And if she was successful against all odds, surely that would render her worthy of a place among the companions.

"I'm sorry," she said finally, "Those bastards should die for what they did. Its high time their lot was finished here in Skyrim. If this is truly what you want, I will help you."

"Y…you will?" Sven started, quite obviously surprised. "Oh you have no idea what this means! I'm willing to pay, of course. How much do you charge?"

"Nothing," Uthgerd said, a hint of pride creeping into her tone, "If I succeed, my reward will be seeing those worthless assassins without their heads. If I fail, my reward is Sovngarde." She cleared her throat and, perhaps a little formally, announced, "I am Uthgerd the Unbroken and I will complete this task or die trying. This I swear to you."

For the first time that night evening, Sven smiled. "May the gods be with you, Uthgerd the Unbroken."


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

Hours later, the sense of purpose that Sven had instilled in Uthgerd had started to wane somewhat. It was past three in the morning and Uthgerd was awake, trying to imagine the best way of using the information Sven had given her to drive the Dark Brotherhood out of hiding. She knew well that they had not become the most feared guild in Tamriel by being careless and she was starting to really doubt her ability to find even one Dark Brotherhood member, let alone them all. The mead induced haze in which she had been lost back at the inn had briefly made this mad plan seem possible. Now, alone, back in her small, drafty cottage, defeat seemed imminent, undeniable. Still, she had given Sven her word and that was not something that Uthgerd the Unbroken did lightly. She sighed. She could at least venture to that orphanage in Riften and see for herself how dire circumstances for the children there were. She might perhaps be able to help them. The thought comforted her somewhat and she fell into a restless dose.

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Uthgerd had always found Riften to be despicable. Overrun with thieves and power-hungry politicians like that Maven Black-Briar who was always waiting eagerly to destroy lives as long as doing so advanced her social standing. In truth, it made all too much sense that an orphanage in this city would descend to such an unnatural, deplorable state. Uthgerd approached the orphanage with more than a bit of trepidation. It always astounded her that the attractive cabins that made up the majority of Riften's buildings so well concealed the malicious acts that occurred within them. No doubt this Honorhall Orphanage was not an exception to that rule. Without further ado, she pushed open the wooden door, which gave an unpleasant creak as she did so, and went inside.

As soon as the door had finished squealing, Uthgerd was assaulted by the scent of fresh blood. She wrinkled her nose in disgust as her eyes adjusted to the dim room. After a few seconds of frantic searching, her eyes came to rest on the source of the smell. Two children had been shackled to the wall like prisoners, a pair of boys that looked to be less than ten though Uthgerd wasn't able to tell if they were truly that young or simply intensely malnourished. But as she gazed at their desperate forms, rage began to bubble within her chest. Who would treat Nord children this way? Was there no honor left in Skyrim? The irony of the orphanage's title did not escape her notice. By the time the mistress of the orphanage had turned the corner to see who had broken into her establishment, Uthgerd had unsheathed her long sword and was stabbing the feeble old woman to death, incapable of controlling her anger. The children cried out in joy from their places against the wall as Uthgerd freed them from their tormenter and then, eventually, from their chains as well. The other children, hearing all of the noise, rushed into the room and all began to embrace Uthgerd, to thank her for "freeing" them. She embraced them in return, one by one. Anyone who knew Uthgerd the Unbroken might have been astounded to witness Uthgerd's display of affection for the unfortunate children. Uthgerd was a principled woman but she was far from heartless, whatever any of her opponents over the years might have said to the contrary.

One child in particular reached out to take Uthgerd's hand, a Nord with dirty blonde hair. When the child smiled at her, there was nothing but warmth, "You've saved us." she almost whispered, "kill one person and a thousand problems are solved. The possibilities astound me."

Uthgerd found herself taken aback by the child's words. She wanted to assure her that killing people was not always useful and that in fact, it is always better to avoid killing people at all if possible. But as she started to say these things, another child asked her a question, her attention was diverted for ten seconds, and, in that time, the tiny blonde had disappeared. Uthgerd searched for her but to no avail. She found she was more than slightly disoriented after the child's disappearance and concluded that the time had come for her to make her departure before the remaining adult in the orphanage revealed her identity to the guards. It wasn't until Uthgerd was well away from Riften some time later that she recalled what exactly the children had been chanting in their excitement following the old woman's death: "Grelod is finally dead! Thank you Dark Brotherhood! We love you!" She cringed now as she thought of it. She wished she had told them that it hadn't been the deplorable Dark Brotherhood that had come to their aid but rather a woman who aimed to become a member of the Companions, the most respected group of warriors in all of Skyrim. Had she not so feared ending up in a Riften jail, Uthgerd would have turned around and told them that they had no reason to be indebted to a group of worthless low lives like the Dark Brotherhood. Uthgerd was also finding that she was somewhat unable to believe that she had so easily killed that old woman. She had killed before but never in a setting like that one and never, she felt, as brutally as she had just killed Grelod. She shuddered to think of it and began to find the prospect of going back to her cold house alone unthinkable. So instead, she did as she often did and made her way to the Bannered Mare for the evening.

What she didn't expect was that quite a commotion would be occurring in the

Bannered Mare. Upon arriving in Whiterun, Uthgerd could hear shouting in the streets. As the voices neared, she could hear several of the companions clearly among them and someone else, an unknown, wild voice calling out "Hail the Stormcloaks!" Uthgerd's heart sank low into chest. At last, the fighting had come to her city, the city that had tried to remain out of the conflict for so long. The Stormcloaks had arrived to make neutrality impossible. Small bands of Stormcloaks had attempted to take Whiterun from time to time but this band seemed larger than previous bands had been. The frigid air nipped at her skin as Uthgerd rushed out into the night. She found herself attempting to reclaim some of the sense of brutality she had experienced half a day earlier when she had killed old Grelod. What had startled her about Grelod's death had been that she had enjoyed delivering it. She wondered if she could possibly enjoy delivering death to these young Nords fighting for a cause that they vehemently believed in and she found that she doubted it.

Without warning, an arrow struck Uthgerd in her side. She gasped, initially in pain but that pain quickly gave way to an overwhelming sense of sleepiness and nausea. She found, to her horror, that she could no longer even stand properly. Uthgerd lost consciousness and was rendered blissfully unaware of the struggles of Whiterun against the Stormcloak army.

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After what seemed like days but could have been hours or even minutes, Uthgerd awoke. She was shaking and, for a moment, it seemed as though the world was spinning around her. When she had gathered her wits enough to sit upright, she found that she was on a rather badly kept up bed in a dark, cold cabin that reeked of old death and was painted with blood to match. The darkness of the room almost forced her eyes toward the only spot in the shack where light could be found. A set of candles was placed on top of a bookshelf in the corner of the room and atop the bookshelf sat a woman with long, graceful legs, one of which she was lazily dangling off the side of the shelf, as if she were entirely bored. Uthgerd was at once offended by the gesture, by the unbelievable cheekiness of it. She looked to the woman's face and, though the majority of it was concealed by a dark cowl, Uthgerd found herself staring into a pair of unsettling, silver eyes.

"Sleep well?"


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Uthgerd gulped nervously before mentally chastising herself. She hadn't expected to ever find herself intimidated by a woman a half her own size and yet here she was, at the mercy of this comparatively dainty creature. It was an unsettling feeling and she didn't appreciate it. "Where am I?" she demanded indignantly, "and who the devil are you?"

In spite of the privacy the cowl afforded the mysterious woman, Uthgerd could hear a smile in her voice. "Does it matter? You're warm, dry, and still very much alive. That's more than can be said for old Grelod, hmm?"

Against her will, Uthgerd's mouth went dry. "You know about that?"

The woman let out a husky chuckle, "Half of Skyrim knows. Old hag gets butchered in her own orphanage? Things like _that_ tend to get around. Oh but don't misunderstand! I'm not criticizing. It was a good kill. The old crone had it coming. And you saved a group of urchins to boot. But there is a slight…problem."

Uthgerd shuddered as the woman spoke, both because her words indicated trouble to come and also because the sound was unlike anything Uthgerd had ever heard. It was deep and authoritative and yet paradoxically feminine and sultry as well. Uthgerd felt her loins stir at the thought and forced herself to ignore the primal urges that the woman aroused in her. After all, how could she be sincerely aroused by a woman who had drugged her, dragged her to a rotting shack, and refused to reveal her identity? "What problem?" she demanded caustically.

"That little Aretino boy was looking for the Dark Brotherhood. For _me_ and my associates. Grelod the Kind was, by all rights, a Dark Brotherhood contract. A kill that you stole. A kill you must repay."

Uthgerd felt her blood turn to ice. The Dark Brotherhood? She was beginning to wonder if she was still dreaming after all. The situation was too surreal for words. She had been trying to find the Dark Brotherhood, trying to destroy them, and yet now, here she was, at the mercy of a Dark Brotherhood assassin. Rage quickly stole over her.

"You want me to kill someone else? I won't. I've never killed anyone who didn't deserve it."

The woman's voice lowered and became almost soothing, the pleasant sound belying the content of her words. "Now, Uthgerd, we both know _that's_ not true. Did that boy you killed while trying to join the companions deserve his death?"

"That was different." Uthgerd sputtered, "It was an accident. And how on earth do you know my name?"

The assassin raised a thin eyebrow. "The Dark Brotherhood makes it its business to know about anyone who steals our contracts." Her voice, though still inviting, had taken on a slight, but perceptible, edge. It made her seem formidable suddenly, a danger rather than a nuisance.

Uthgerd considered her options. She considered that she could just attack this woman outright but she didn't know how profitable that would be. She might have weapons other than the rather long dagger Uthgerd noted on her hip. She decided, for the moment, to see what the woman was proposing. If she wanted to begin her assault on the Dark Brotherhood smoothly, she would have to catch the woman off guard. "What do you want from me?"

"Well now, funny you should ask. If you turn around, you'll notice my guests." Uthgerd turned around and realized, with horror, that there really were three individuals, bound on the opposite side of the shack. "I've…collected them from…well, that's not really important. The here and now, _that's_ what matters. You see, there's a contract out on one of them and that person can't leave this room alive. But which one? Go on. See if you can figure it out. Make your choice, make your kill. I just want to observe..." the woman's voice trailed off before it adopted an almost feral quality, "and admire."

Uthgerd shuddered. The only way to escape this situation was to murder someone in cold blood? That was something Uthgerd was not willing to do. It was one thing if she could engage a foe with her blade but this-this was unthinkable. Furthermore, she didn't know if she'd ever have another chance defeat the Dark Brotherhood and keep her promise to Sven. She turned away from the potential victims and toward the assassin who was still swinging her leg casually and, by her posture, seemed quite relaxed. As Uthgerd glanced toward her, she spoke, "Am I to take your silence as acceptance? Then you know where we stand. Pick your guest and send the poor fool to the void. Repayment of your debt is but a discrete knife thrust away."

The word "thrust" uttered in such honey-laden tones gave Uthgerd a shocking urge to pull the woman down from her place on the shelf, throw her onto the bed, and have her way with her. Uthgerd shook her head, trying to return to the dangerous situation at hand. She looked up at the woman, whose eyes were nearly dancing. It was if she could understand how confused Uthgerd felt and she didn't even care-in fact, she was enjoying it. "Who are you?" Uthgerd demanded suddenly, her request surprising even herself.

"I've told you, my dearest." The woman started playfully, "I represent the Dark Brotherhood."

Uthgerd would not be swayed. "But who are you really? What is your name?"

The woman chuckled, an uninhibited, wild sound that made Uthgerd think she would kill one hundred men just to hear it again. "Why would I tell you that if I don't know if I can trust you? Why don't you finish the task at hand and then perhaps, you'll learn more about me."

Uthgerd resolved that she would talk to the captives while trying to think of a plan. As she approached the three bound individuals, she could feel the assassin's eyes on her. As she spoke to each "guest," she became increasingly disheartened. The first was a Nord mercenary, not unlike Uthgerd herself, and, while he struck her as a complete milk drinker, it didn't seem to her that he had earned death. The next was a woman, defiant and angry. She claimed to be mother of six children and threatened to spit in Uthgerd's face. Uthgerd admired her courage in spite of the fact that she was, perhaps, a bit obnoxious. Certainly she didn't deserve to be killed. Just as she was losing hope, Uthgerd turned to the last prisoner, a khajiit by the sound of it. He introduced himself as Vasha, a mercenary who, as he told her proudly, had been constantly "bagged and dragged" by enemies on account of being a "taker of lives and defiler of daughters." At these words and the cockiness of his tone, Uthgerd felt as she had when she had killed Grelod. She was overwhelmed with rage at the mere thought that anyone could brag about raping women. That to her seemed a fouler crime than murder. Without another thought about her duty to Sven, Uthgerd plunged her sword into Vasha's body and, as he let out a vaguely horrifying scream, Uthgerd's debt to the Dark Brotherhood was repaid.

The assassin clapped her hands, regaining Uthgerd's attention. "The conniving Khajiit. Cat like that was sure to have enemies. Its no wonder you chose him."

Uthgerd remained on edge, "Did you hear what he said? He claimed that he…that he _raped_ women. I wish the bastard would come back so that I could kill him again."

The assassin's silver eyes twinkled once more. "Is that what bothered you so much? I did wonder. I suppose he probably affected you the same way Grelod did. You see yourself as something of a defender of justice, don't you?"

There was a smile in the woman's voice, enough for Uthgerd to deduce that she was mocking her, at least slightly. She wasn't about to admit that the woman was right. Uthgerd had, after all, felt the same way about Vasha as she had about Grelod. She decided to ignore the assassin's question and instead respond by repeating her own. "Who are you?"

"Ah, yes. I did say I would tell you about me. Well, a promise is a promise, Uthgerd." Uthgerd, against her will, trembled slightly as she heard her name in the woman's mouth, "My name is Astrid. I'm the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, an organization to which you are now invited to join. Congratulations."

If the situation hadn't seemed so horrible, Uthgerd might have laughed. The irony was rich. She had hoped to bring about the Dark Brotherhood's downfall in order to prove herself to the companions and keep her promise to Sven and yet, now, she had passed their twisted entrance exam and was being invited to become one of the famed killers. What was worse, the Dark Brotherhood's leader was so alluring that Uthgerd was, however, briefly, tempted to accept her offer.

In light of Uthgerd's silence, the woman continued, "I'm not just inviting you to join an organization, Uthgerd. I'm asking you to join a family. We aren't so terribly different from those ridiculous companions you so admire after all. We kill for money as well and I happen to know that companions are often not as choosy as they appear to be when it comes to targets. We are family, Uthgerd, and you deserve that as much as anyone else does. In me, you'd find a sister."

Surprisingly, the word stung. Uthgerd didn't want to be this woman's sister. Anything but that. But what was even more surprising to her was that she was, yet again, tempted by Astrid's words. Nonetheless, she resisted temptation. "I appreciate your offer, Astrid," she started, loving the way that the woman's beautiful name, both strong and yet delicate at once, felt on her tongue, "But I feel that this is an offer I must refuse. I have repaid my debt to your organization. Am I free to go?"

The woman seemed shocked. "You won't join? I thought you might be enticed by the prospect of…well, I don't know, taking our relationship to the next level."

Uthgerd almost choked. She realized with dawning dismay that Astrid was aware of the effect she was having on Uthgerd and she was using it to her advantage. Suddenly humiliated, Uthgerd said, "If you've had your fun, I think I'll be going."

Astrid's tone shifted, "Oh, my dear, I'm not making fun of you. In fact, I think it will be interesting to have such a unique addition in our family. And don't get the impression that you have to be stealthy. You just have to fulfill your contracts and respect your family. Don't you understand that this was all just a test? And you passed it. With flying colors I might add."

Uthgerd's curiosity was piqued. "With flying colors? So the khajiit _was_ the one with the contract?"

Astrid shook her head. "No, no, that's not what I meant. Frankly, you could have killed any of the three and I would have been satisfied. I just wanted to see that, when I ordered you to kill someone, you would obey. And you did that." Uthgerd started to protest but Astrid raised a gloved hand to quiet her. "What startled me about you, what…impressed me, I suppose, is that you seemed particularly disgusted to learn that the khajiit was mistreating women. I wish I'd met you when I was a young woman."

Uthgerd hesitated, unsure whether to trust the woman's words. It seemed plausible to suspect that she was just being lead into another one of her sadistic games. For whatever reason, she couldn't bring herself to care enough at the moment. "Why do you say that? You're a young woman now."

Astrid released another short snicker before responding, "My dearest, you've not yet seen me. Not really. I'm not as young as I may seem to you." As she said this, she began to unwind the cowl about her face and Uthgerd drank her in for the first time. Uthgerd noted-with a little delight-that Astrid was adorably beautiful and quite petite by Nord standards. She had long, thick blonde hair that was drawn back tightly away from her face, accentuating her long, elegant nose. Her lips were full and sensuous and, of course, her silver eyes seemed all the more stunning in combination with the rest of her features. Uthgerd was, for once speechless.

Astrid seemed to sense that, yet again, she had gained the upper hand. Her full lips curled into something of a smile, and she said, "Not what you expected?"

"I didn't know what to expect." Uthgerd managed, "But you _are_ a young woman."

Astrid touched a slight line underneath her eye and shook her head, "Well, thank you, Uthgerd, but I suspect I'm near your age. In any case, I appreciate your comment but I'd have appreciated having someone of your skill with me when I was a child even more. I had an uncle, you see, he made certain…unwanted advances. So I killed him. And liked it." Astrid hesitated, seeming lost in the moment.

Uthgerd's eyes never left her face. "So you started killing people because he made you feel powerless?" she said, recognition dawning. She felt anger swell inside her. How could anyone have harmed something as delightful as Astrid in such a despicable manner? This uncle, in Uthgerd's mind, was the explanation, indeed the sole reason, that such a lovely creature would be inspired to join the Dark Brotherhood at all. She went on, "You never wanted to feel that way again-"

For the first time, Astrid seemed flustered, "It wasn't really like that. I just killed him because his behavior was unacceptable and he deserved it. After that, I realized it was my…calling, as it were. And I believe it is yours too. Please tell me you'll join my family, Uthgerd. You could kill men like my uncle forever and do society a favor."

Uthgerd, though more intrigued than ever, felt that joining an organization run by this obviously manipulative and yet undeniably charming woman would only spell trouble for her future. "I've got to go, Astrid. I'm sorry but I really do." Uthgerd paused, suddenly unsure of what she was apologizing for. "I appreciate it and I'll leave your people unmolested but I can't be a part of this."

Astrid sighed, her disappointment visible and, it seemed to Uthgerd, sincere. With feline grace, she leapt down from her place atop the bookshelf and, in spite it all, it took all of Uthgerd's self restraint to keep from admiring Astrid's voluptuous figure, barely disguised as it was by her tight black and red leather armor. "I understand and I respect your decision of course. Your debt has been repaid after all. I suppose I…I'm selfish is all. I did so hope to get to know you." Astrid boldly stepped toward the taller Nord woman and, without warning, Uthgerd felt long, slender fingers brush the side of her cheek. She was at once thankful for the relative darkness of the shack. She wouldn't have wanted Astrid to have a full view of the blush that she could feel developing across her face. "Farewell Uthgerd. Until we meet again." And with that, she pressed the key to the shack into Uthgerd's fingers, led her to the door, and sent her on her way.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Uthgerd spent the long trek home from Morthal in a daze. She succeeded in returning to Whiterun unscathed but she felt exhausted from the mental trial she had undergone. Whiterun seemed to have survived its trial against the invading Stormcloaks but such attacks were growing more and more frequent and Uthgerd worried that one day the city would not be able to prevent itself from being taken. She hoped that, during the next, inevitable attack, she would be there to defend Whiterun. Her thoughts turned back to the events of the day. She didn't regret the death of Vasha anymore than she had grieved for Vasha. They, like Astrid's uncle, had gotten what they deserved. But she was plagued by her thoughts of her mysterious kidnapper. How had Astrid managed to drag Uthgerd and three other individuals to Morthal on her own? How had such a lovely, graceful creature become the leader of Tamriel's most feared criminal organization? Was she as haunted by personal demons as Uthgerd thought she might be? As Uthgerd reached her modest home in Whiterun, entered it, and shakily lit the fire, she wondered if Astrid had reached her home as well, wherever it was. She hoped that the blonde wasn't still out in the frigid air. Uthgerd shook her head. This woman had kidnapped her and tried to encourage her to join the Dark Brotherhood! She was the leader of the Dark Brotherhood for goodness sakes! And yet, something about her resonated with Uthgerd because she couldn't deny all that Astrid had said. There were indeed people who deserved to die. Certainly not all of the people who died because of the Dark Brotherhood did but there were those-like Vasha or Grelod-who did. Even children had been able to see the necessity of Grelod's death.

Trying to clear her mind, Uthgerd considered a trip to the Bannered Mare but it just didn't feel right that evening, not after all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. She would go back in tomorrow and hear stories of how Whiterun had succeeding in putting down another group of Stormcloaks. But tonight, she would try to sleep. As she stripped down to nakedness, she released the day's stresses and allowed herself to enjoy the warmth of fur blankets against her skin. For a few moments, she drifted toward sleep.

Just as she had almost achieved it, an all too familiar voice echoed through the shadows, permeating the darkness and leaving Uthgerd suddenly wide awake and filled with an unusual mixture of shock, dread, and something like twisted delight. "It's a shame that you've decided to hide such a _delightful_ figure beneath those blankets so quickly. It would have been pleasant to further examine its… attributes."

Uthgerd was immediately on the defensive. "What do you want? How the hell did you get in here?" She did, she had to admit, feel quite uncomfortable. After all, she was unclothed and unarmed. She had no idea how long Astrid had been in her home. Had she followed her here and then picked the lock? Uthgerd shivered.

Astrid kept her cool. "Temper, temper. Relax, Uthgerd. I didn't mean to startle you but I had to announce my presence somehow. After all, it would be such a boring time if I just let you fall asleep. I didn't come such a way to be bored."

"You shouldn't have come such a way at all, Astrid." Uthgerd insisted, loving the way Astrid's name felt in her mouth in spite of everything. "If I alert the Whiterun guards-"

"which you _won't_ do." Astrid cut in abruptly. "You won't do it because you don't want to. Come now, Uthgerd, I could tell you were intrigued by my offer and I do sincerely think you're such a good fit for the Brotherhood. Did you really expect I'd just let you go?"

Uthgerd hesitated. There it was again. The offer, the sense of being wanted, included. Not to mention the person doing the wanting was the loveliest woman Uthgerd had seen in years. As she looked at Astrid's beautiful face, all of her anger started to fade, just as it had when she had seen the Dark Brotherhood leader in the abandoned shack. This woman, it seemed, could do no wrong as far as Uthgerd's heart was concerned. She was beginning to fear for her own sanity. Maybe the gods had sent Astrid as a test of her morals, a test she clearly wasn't passing.

But did she want to pass? How many times in her life had she been wanted in this way? And perhaps this woman had had as difficult a past as Uthgerd had. Perhaps she too was looking for acceptance and had found it with the Dark Brotherhood. Could Uthgerd really blame her then? Were the companions and the Brotherhood really that different? Her head was spinning as she looked at the tall, lusciously shaped blonde lounging in the chair opposite her bed. Uthgerd wondered if she lounged in these provocative poses just to drive people crazy. "Do you ever sit like a normal person?" Uthgerd demanded.

Astrid looked almost convincingly hurt but, after a moment, her lips curved into a wicked smirk. "Whatever do you mean? I can sit upright and be serious if you'd prefer but I believe we're already more comfortable with each other than you'd like to admit. Please tell me you'll change your mind about joining my family."

Uthgerd listened with disbelief. "I don't see how I can." She said shortly, "You're what you are and I'm what I am."

Astrid furrowed her brow. "Is that a puzzle I'm supposed to solve? You're a killer with a past she'd like to leave behind and no family left. On paper, you and I are identical, Uthgerd."

Uthgerd recoiled. "I am _not_ a killer." She insisted, though she felt false as she did so. She knew, fundamentally, that Astrid was right. "Well, maybe I am. But I don't enjoy it."

Astrid shook her head. "Don't you? You seem to enjoy killing people who you feel deserve it. And _so_ many people do. I'd make sure that all of your contracts appealed to you, Uthgerd. I'm nothing if not a fair leader. The deaths you would bring about would leave Skyrim a better place. Isn't that what your companions are all about?"

Uthgerd fell silent. Astrid was persuasive if nothing else. But could she really join the Dark Brotherhood? For all that was true in what Astrid said, Uthgerd knew that there were parts that the other woman was not sharing. She had heard her whole life of the innocents the Brotherhood had murdered in cold blood. They had, ironically enough, destroyed more families than Uthgerd could even imagine. She then remembered the haunted look in Sven's eyes when he had told her of how they had dispatched his innocent wife for no reason at all and her resolve grew. She would join the Dark Brotherhood and, from there, she would destroy them from the inside out. Astrid had, inadvertently, given her the perfect opportunity to gain their trust and use it to defeat them once and for all. So she took a deep breath, divorced herself from the effects of the assassin's charms and said, "Your words hold a great deal of truth. If I join, will I be allowed to leave if I'm unsatisfied?"

Astrid nodded. "Absolutely. In fact, we lost someone a few years ago for that very reason. She joined the Thieves Guild as I understand it. Said she thought there would be more money in that life. Foolish girl really but I respected her wishes and I'd respect yours as well. Does that sound fair?"

Uthgerd couldn't help but marvel at how polite Astrid was for a treacherous assassin. "Fine. We have a deal then."

Astrid beamed. "Wonderful! We'll travel to the sanctuary tomorrow then so that you can meet the family. Its in Falkreath so we'll have to get up early."

"Wait, what do you mean we?"

"Well, I wouldn't expect you to find the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary on your own. Its…hidden from view, I guess you could say. I understand that you have this pleasant home here in Whiterun but I do hope you start to spend most nights with us at the sanctuary. We prefer to keep all of our family close at all times."

Uthgerd's head was spinning. "Whiterun is my city, my home."

Astrid sighed. "I think you may find that home has more meaning when there are people to share it with, Uthgerd. Just give us a chance. I don't think you'll regret it."

Uthgerd had to admit that there was something flattering about being asked to join an organization like the Brotherhood. It had been respected and feared for centuries. If she could end their reign of terror, the companions would admit that her skill was undeniable.

As she considered Astrid carefully, Uthgerd realized that she had another, more immediate problem on her hands. Astrid's insistence that she travel with Uthgerd to Falkreath indicated that she was expecting to spend the night in Uthgerd's home. Uthgerd had but one bed and she didn't feel that it would be seemly to share it with Astrid. "There's an inn nearby. I suspect with how much the Brotherhood travels that you probably know it. I'll walk you there if you'd like. Its already late after all."

Astrid shook her head. "I know the inn but I'd be far happier staying here with you. We could get to know each other better this way."

"There is a limit to how well I want to know anyone." Uthgerd replied, more sharply than she'd meant to. "And besides, I've only got one bed."

Astrid's silver eyes gleamed. "And you think I've never shared a bed with anyone, Uthgerd? While I appreciate your attempts to save my delicate virtue, I think I'll survive a night in which we exchange a little…body heat. I'm not suggesting anything tawdry mind you," Uthgerd felt that Astrid's expression implied otherwise, "but is Skyrim, after all. You can always use a little extra warmth. Especially when you aren't wearing clothes at all."

Uthgerd nearly blushed. "I didn't expect company. I'm a Nord. I'm not afraid of the cold. I didn't suspect you would be either."

Astrid's face hardened ever so slightly. "I'm not afraid of anything, Uthgerd. But even Nords appreciate a pleasant degree of warmth." As she spoke, she started pealing her tight black and red leather armor off of her body and Uthgerd found it almost impossible not to stare. To break the tension mounting in the room, she asked, "You're not going to make me wear that hideous uniform are you?"

At this, Astrid looked truly offended. "Do you really find it hideous? I allow members to wear whatever makes them comfortable but our uniforms are far from hideous. They make a statement about the strength of our organization, about its power, its importance-"

"All right, all right," Uthgerd cut in, "I'm sorry I said anything." Astrid made a dissatisfied huffing noise as she folded her armor into a neat, respectful pile and turned her naked body toward Uthgerd's bed. Uthgerd looked down, afraid that if she took in a full glance at those long but wonderfully full legs, that lovely backside, those ample, upturned breasts, or god forbid, that extraordinary area between her thighs, she would never be able to turn her gaze away. In less than a minute, this beautiful woman would be pressing her naked body against Uthgerd's and though she had promised that "nothing tawdry," would occur, Uthgerd somehow wasn't comforted.

As Astrid sighed and started to climb under Uthgerd's covers, Uthgerd thought she had never been more aware of how small her bed was. It certainly wasn't large enough to contain two full bodied Nord women. She could feel every inch of Astrid's body pressed up against her back and she couldn't help but notice the differences between her own body and Astrid's. As a warrior, Uthgerd's was a muscular figure while Astrid's was much softer and fleshier to the touch. One area in particular Uthgerd noticed was the other woman's belly. As she felt it against her back, she couldn't help but imagine what it might look like. It was breathtakingly soft and slightly rounded, heartrendingly feminine. Uthgerd felt her loins burning at the thought of it and had to fight a rising urge to turn toward Astrid and kiss her all over that belly, kiss her breasts, and then…

 _Stop!_ She commanded herself. She could feel her body growing slick with sweat already. Astrid seemed not to notice. In fact, she made herself boldly at home, leaning against Uthgerd's shoulder and whispering, in that husky, melodic voice, "So, what made you choose Whiterun? Was it _always_ about the companions?" Uthgerd sighed, knowing that she was in for a long night and wondering, not for the first time, what she had gotten herself into.

Author's Note: Reviews are very much appreciated. Things are about to get interesting. Also, for those who might be interested in my Dragon Age fanfiction, I will be updating it soon. Thanks for your time!


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